The Cattleman

Newly rereleased! I have rewritten the book from the beginning and I hope you enjoy it. So far I have two review awards for it.

Prologue

Julie Bradley was twenty-one years old today. The world should have been rosy and perfect, but her father had passed away just under a month ago. Her whole family, and in fact a fair number of people through out the county were in mourning for Jason Bradley. He was a rancher and a well-respected one as well. His presence was sorely missed by many, not just his immediate family and friends.

She had always been close to her father, often riding in front of him as a young child, and then joining right in with the work on the ranch as she got older. Yet it was because of her father that she was not here when he died. Instead of being at his bedside with the rest of the family, she was attending a highly rated finishing school for young ladies. Her mother had suggested it when she skipped a dance, for which she even had a new dress, to spend the time in the barn with a foaling mare. According to her mother, she needed to learn how to prioritize in her life.

Julie had turned to her brothers for help but they refused to get involved. Desperate she looked to her beloved father. As time passed, she realized that broaching the subject while she dressed in hand-me-downs from her younger brother and was covered in mud, dust and some unsavory other things, had not been the wisest thing she’d ever done.

Now she was home, with her family, and she had the rest of her life ahead of her. She was still resentful over not getting the last three years with her father, but she also knew that it was past and nothing would ever change it. From now on she would look towards the future. Technically she had turned twenty-one at midnight this morning, but the party was being held this evening. Actually, it was a late afternoon picnic, followed by dancing, and it had already started. She was late!

In respect to her father’s memory, the party was being held at the ranch of a friend. It was the reason she had not left with everyone else, pulling an excuse out at the last minute. She didn’t want the party at Jim Morgan’s, but no one had heard her early protests except Jim. He had quickly pointed out how this would make it so much easier on her mother and the rest of her family. Swallowing her feelings, she had agreed.

Standing in front of the mirror in her room, she recalled that Jim’s mother had protested also. But even though he was only twenty-five, few people objected to his suggestions. Jim had reached over and covered his mother’s hand with his to discourage her, merely shaking his head negatively. Her brother Nick, and Jim’s lifelong best friend, had spoken up in favor of moving the party to Jim’s ranch. So…she caved.

Her form of protest was non-verbal. She was showing up in pants, shirt, and boots. If this was her party, then she was damned sure she was going to have fun. Wearing a dress, in her opinion, despite the finishing school, was not the path to a good time. She rode her prize mare over to Jim’s, enjoying the solitude of the ride, which was something she had sorely missed while out East. 

Immediately upon her arrival, it was obvious that she was dressed to party with the children, rather than enjoy dancing and mingling with the adults. Angry with herself for too many reasons to stand enumerating them, she tied her horse at one of the scattered hitching posts. Feeling self-conscious, she began moving between the guests, ignoring the glances at her clothing choices and accepting the welcome homes she received.

It soon became obvious that the young women her age had moved on with their lives even though hers had been put on hold to be “finished.” The two women who had gone to the local school at the same time she had were both married. Laura had two children already and Katherine was expecting her first. In less than five minutes, Julie realized that she no longer had anything in common with her friends. While the other women’s lives were full of husbands and their homes and family, Julie’s life was still basically self-centered.

If she were inclined to be completely honest with herself today, she’d remember that this topic had been bothering her for quite some time. When she was on the ranch, her days had been filled morning to night with things to do around the barns, the animals or even riding the range with her father and brothers. Going to Boston, her world had changed. For the first time, it became important what she wore, how her hair was done and way too much gossip about who did what and so on.

Always present in the back of her mind was the fact that after the school ended, she could return here and resume her previous life. Beyond that, she’d never considered what she would do back home with her family. The future was supposed to be like the past. How could she be happier than riding the range, caring for the cattle and farm animals, and of course her favorite were the horses. With her father’s death, Julie had been too grief-stricken to think of anything except being home.

Suddenly Julie didn’t feel at all like the party-girl everyone expected to see. Quietly she snuck around the barn, waiting until the crowd near the impromptu bar diminished. It was almost too easy to grab a bottle of something and run away again. With the bottle partially hidden inside her shirt, she made her way to the dense trees which edged the small creek approximately half a mile behind Jim’s large home. Once there, if you looked hard enough, you could find a gate which led into a planned garden. The trees and bushes had all been cultivated after the house was built, to maximize the idea of a private, relaxing place.

The only reason she was able to find it was because of a letter her younger sister Angie had written her. Jim’s younger brother Tony, who’d always had his eye on Angela Bradley, had generously offered to show it to her one day. Julie’s sister confided in the letter that this was where Tony kissed her for the first time. Alone in the garden, Julie found a long white-painted bench and sat down. It took a few seconds for her to relax and let the gentle sounds of babbling water work its’ wiles on her senses.

Tears came, followed by deep sobbing. At some point she opened the bottle and took a drink. Looking at the clear liquid, she wondered what all the hoopla was all about and then she took two more deep swigs. After she rubbed her mouth with the sleeve of her shirt, Julie decided she was hot. The shirt came off and fell to the grass at her feet. Picking up the bottle, she drank more.

“So what?” she said softly to the water and trees. “I’m entitled to cry.”

Listening closely to the sounds around her, she leaned forward, resting her elbows on her jeans-clad legs. Talking to no one, she spoke again. “My dad dies and I’ve lost three years with him that I’ll never get back.” Without thinking, she pounded her fists against the seat. “Damn it, God! It isn’t fair!” Sobbing softly, she ignored the pain in her hands because it couldn't compare to the heart ache inside. “Shit!” she shouted finally, just because she wanted to.

Then she looked down and saw that the reason her one hand hurt more than the other was because it was bleeding. Turning her head, she saw blood on the seat and the split in the wood she had not noticed when she first sat down. Quickly she lifted her hand out from her body to keep the blood from getting on her undershirt. Deciding the only way to stop this was to wash it first and then tear her shirt and wrap it around her palm.

Her first steps were all right, but when she came to the edge of the water, combined with the slippery grass and too much alcohol on an empty stomach, Julie lost her balance and tumbled head-long into the water. The cold water was a good way to clear a foggy brain she quickly realized. A noise caught her attention and she turned to look at the other bank of the creek.

Jim Morgan was a tall man, broad-shouldered, and when he sat atop his seventeen-hands-tall stallion, the two made a truly impressive sight to behold. The felt hat he wore, pulled forward to keep the sun out of his dark eyes, shadowed his tanned face. Today, as a concession to the August heat, his cotton shirtsleeves were rolled back, revealing his tanned, muscular forearms. His mount acted a bit skittish, but the man easily and deftly controlled the stallion’s temper.

“Happy birthday, Miss Bradley.”

Julie’s temper rose at the sarcastic tone in his voice. More importantly, her body flooded with heat and desire—

Three years had done nothing to decrease the attraction she had first recognized at the tender age of sixteen for her lifetime antagonist. Only now, after spending time living in a different city and way of life in general, she had a much better understanding of just what these feelings were. Suddenly seeing Jim and all of the feelings had come rushing back. She was no longer cold, not the least little bit. All she could do though was to sit in the water as he spurred the big black horse to enter the water and walk towards her.

Jim made no effort to curb the smile curving his lips upwards. Seeing Julie Bradley, half-undressed, wet and alone was making this feel like his birthday rather than hers. She was his present! Immediately he realized that the three years had not made the least difference in how he felt about her. But when she was eighteen and her father sent her east, he was just starting out with his own ranching concern separate from his father’s and had nothing to offer a woman. Or more precisely, he had little resources to comprise a respectable dowry should Jason Bradley have demanded one.

And there was the fact that whenever he and Julie were together sparks usually flew in all directions. But ever since she was sixteen, there had been this sort of magical transformation in her, or perhaps it had only been within himself. After that, every time he saw Julie, he knew that it was desire which prompted him to antagonize her. Basically he did anything, good or bad, just like a kid, do get her attention. Often it was bad, yet there were times when her eyes would meet his…and he knew she felt something and it had nothing to do with dislike.

“You should have told me you wanted this to be a swimming party,” he murmured softly. He knew damn well her being in the water had little to do with a desire to swim in it. But to be honest, seeing her wearing the cut down version of long-john underwear, plus the way it clung to her curvaceous body like second skin, was more than a little strain on his nervous system. Right now his own body was pressing him for some relief.

Logically he could do two things: he could ride away or he could dismount and see what would happen. Almost before he realized it, his body was already in motion. Julie spoke immediately, but the words fell on his suddenly deaf ears.

“Oh no, Jim, your boots will be ruined!”

Jim shook his head and reached down to grasp her hand. She accepted it and as he pulled her up, the blood dripping from her other hand caught his attention. “Holy cow Julie, what the hall happened to your hand?”

“I caught it on a splinter of wood on that bench. Technically that makes it your fault, right?”

Jim looked up from his inspection of her hand to meet her eyes. The look in her eyes didn’t seem to match what she’d just spoken. Dropping her hand, he took a step towards her.

Julie froze, her stomach was doing flip-flops and she was sure Jim was going to kiss her. Every fiber of her being was shouting “yes” and she took a step closer. She could feel her heart pounding harder in her chest than it ever had before. Desperately she wanted to feel his lips on hers. Many times she had dreamed of this happening…now, less than a foot separated them.

Black Devil, the stallion Jim had ridden into the water, snickered and began walking out of the water. It was just enough to break the spell and they pulled back. Julie felt her cheeks flaming hotly with embarrassment. She had realized that if Jim had wanted to kiss her, the horse couldn't have distracted him. Obviously, in her mind, she was alone in her feelings. Quickly she stumbled back to the bank and then onto the bench. Looking around, it took her a few moments to locate her earlier discarded shirt.

Jim grabbed the shirt before she had the chance and then he sat down beside her. “What were planning on doing?” he asked with a smile.

Julie looked over at him and saw that he had also picked up the discarded bottle. It surprised her to realize that she had drunk enough of it so that it showed barely half-full. Deciding to ignore the subject of the bottle, she answered him as she reached for the shirt he was still holding. “I am tearing a piece of my shirt to wrap around my hand. Then everything will be fine.”

Jim though apparently didn’t agree as he continued to hold the shirt, shifting it just beyond her reach. “Speaking for myself, I wouldn't object. You’ve always been a woman to dress for yourself, Julie, but in that wet shirt—”

Julie saw that Jim was looking at her chest. Slowly she bent her neck and looked down. It took a moment for her to realize that she looked just like she did when she was sitting naked in the tub. The thin material disguised nothing from any on-looker. And Jim was most definitely looking.

“Julie?”

Looking up, she saw the intent look on Jim’s face and the fire in his eyes. Normally she’d say he was angry with her, but suddenly she knew it was his usual fury or disapproval. No. What she was seeing was the same as she’d seen in the faces of the young men she’d meet in Boston. They had all had a hard time understanding that she wasn’t interested in them. But she liked the look in his eyes. All they needed—

“Hey! So this is where the birthday girl has been hiding!”

Startled, she and Jim both turned and saw his brother Tony walking towards them. A second later she felt her shirt being draped across the front of her.

“Julie accidentally cut her hand,” Jim spoke as he tossed the bottle into the bushes next to the bench. “I’ll have you put on my shirt, and then we can tear a strip off your shirt.”

“You need any help?” Tony asked and started to walk towards the bench.

Jim stood up and walked to meet his brother. “No, but if you wouldn't mind taking Devil with you, I’d appreciate it.”

Julie watched the two men, craning her neck to see. She saw Tony nodding several times before he turned, grabbed Black Devil’s dangling reins and walked back out of the secluded area. Quickly, as Jim started back towards her, she pulled her shirt on. When he reached the bench, she had managed just two buttons, but at least she was covered.

“You can go too, Jim, if you’d like. I’ll just stay here for a bit and put some pressure on this. It will be fine in a few minutes, I’m sure.”

Julie wasn’t all that surprised when she heard fabric tearing. Looking up, she saw that he had torn the lower edge, about three inches wide. Without saying another word to her, he picked her hand up and deftly bound the shirt around it.

“Thank you,” she murmured when he released the small, neat knot he had tied.

“No problem, but you should come to the house so I could put a clean dressing on it.”

Julie hated the awkward feelings overwhelming her at the moment. “Maybe a little bit later, so no one sees us going in together.”

Jim turned away abruptly, buttoning his shirt as he did so. “Yeah, it’s important to keep that never ending feud going between us. Enjoy your party.”